I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a plastic encapsulated semiconductor device which can be used with relatively large power and a lead frame therefor.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Plastic encapsulated semiconductor devices are superior to metal encapsulated semiconductor devices in ease in mass production and manufacturing costs. However, the plastic encapsulated semiconductor devices are inferior to the metal encapsulated semiconductor devices in radiation of heat when they are operated. Plastic encapsulation of semiconductor devices has recently been developed. A high power transistor manufactured by plastic encapsulation has been proposed. In this case, sufficient consideration is taken to allow the radiation of heat.
In a transistor adhered on a metal substrate support and encapsulated by plastic, for example, the lower surface of the substrate support is not covered with plastic but exposed. The substrate support is mounted on a radiator to radiate heat. However, in this case, the substrate support must be electrically insulated from the radiator. The packaging operation of the semiconductor device on the radiator through an insulating plate is complicated and cumbersome.
On the other hand, a plastic encapsulated power transistor is proposed wherein a thin plastic layer is formed on the lower surface of the substrate support during plastic encapsulation and an insulating plate is not required for mounting the power transistor on the radiator. However, in this case, at the time of plastic encapsulation, only the side of the lead frame from which extend the external lead is clamped by the upper and lower molds with a transistor assembly which has the external lead on one side. Plastic is injected while the substrate support is floating in a cavity defined by the molds. Thus, the substrate support may be bent in the cavity due to the injection pressure of the plastic. As a result, it is very difficult to encapsulate in plastic while keeping the substrate support in a proper position, thus, resulting in non-uniformity in the thickness of the plastic layer on the lower surface of the substrate support and degrading radiation characteristics.